Dissatisfaction - Desire - Opportunity - Indulgence
4 words that broke the world.
4 words that mar our relationship with God every day.
4 words that will challenge us until the moment Jesus returns.
4 words that defined my choice of lunch today ...
I'll be honest with you, I'm bored of egg sandwiches. Ham is little better. And the salads I make for myself (if I get up in time) are wonderfully healthy but don't always survive the hot and bumpy journey to work well. Lunch is not my favourite meal of the day. I was reflecting on that fact last night. I'd just finished dinner - a much more inspiring and satisfying delight, concocted with the full armoury of herbs and sauces available in my kitchen...... continue reading
I'm delighted to have worked with Sam Allberry on his new book Is God anti-gay? It's a subject close to my heart as I have many close Christian friends who have wrestled with this issue. In any sizeable church there are likely to be two or three present for whom this is an issue in some way.
Part of the issue was the need for secrecy. It is only relatively recently that "the love that dare not speak its name" has become normalised in society as a whole. And as Sam articulates so compassionately in his book, there are still many believers who feel unable to share the nature of their particular temptation for fear of being judged, rejected or misunderstood by others in their fellowship. I am praying that the message of this book, as it is read by whole congregations will start to remove the fear and ignorance which many of us have - and make our churches more intelligently caring in this area.... continue reading
Football’s Suicide Secret is a programme shown a few days ago by the BBC. It was extremely well presented by footballer Clarke Carlisle, and I was impressed by how balanced it was. But it also got me thinking. How like footballers are we?
Here are some of the main points that come out in the documentary:... continue reading
"So, which sin are you tackling this week?"
It wasn't a question that took me by surprise. My friend and I are both working on a counseling course at the moment. One of our projects is to identify a persistent sin in our lives, analyze it and take biblical steps towards change. Not the most comfortable of assignments but undoubtedly useful!
As I wrestled with some of my heart-issues last week, a range of questions flitted through my mind. But one of the biggest was this: why on earth had I waited for a piece of coursework before starting to address my rebellion?... continue reading
Sat and watched The Impossible last night with teenage daughters.
It tells the real-life story of a Bélon family who were caught up in the Indian Ocean tsunami on Boxing Day 2004. The mother, Maria, was horrifically wounded and almost drowned, but manages to find her eldest son Luke. Fearing that dad and the other smaller boys had been killed, there follows a gruelling fight for survival - helped by local Thai villagers, and ending up in a packed and chaotic hospital. I won't spoil the (happy) ending - but the superb acting makes this an emotional ride.
We had to wring the sofa out afterwards.... continue reading
The sense of panic began to rise. Her heart-beat quickened. Her throat tightened. Her stomach began to churn. And she knew that yet again, she would flee the room, the meal lovingly cooked by her friends left uneaten. A true story - a not uncommon story - but one that is desperately misunderstood.
In churches, and the wider society, anorexia and bulimia get quite a lot of press. The issues are known. The patterns for recovery, discussed. But food phobias - that's another matter. All too often considered strange or just plain attention-seeking, the people in our congregations who are genuinely terrified of certain foodstuffs are misunderstood.
So, what is a food phobia? It's when specific foods trigger reactions of anxiety or panic. At their most mild, phobias involve feelings of nervousness and nausea. At their worst, full panic-attacks ensue with strugglers reporting an inability to swallow, breath normally or even be in the same room as their trigger food.... continue reading
In a world filled with people who are looking to "change their lives" - what is the Christian response?
Of course change is exactly what Jesus does to those he calls to belong to him. Among other things he changes:
But here's the big difference between the change that Jesus brings and the "life change" that many others seem to be pursuing. Consider this:... continue reading
You hear the phrase all the time on TV talent shows. People with a dream. People with a talent looking to break through. People who have lived in obscurity and nursed an ambition; then suddenly found fame, fortune, adoration. Their lives have been changed.
Type those words into YouTube and you find a whole host of videos - many with passionate looking people who promise to share their story of Life change. They promote a massive variety of things that have done that for them: a book, a spiritual experience, a new way of looking at your life, a new way of investing, surgery, confidence therapy, a life coach, a money-making scheme or taking psychotropic drugs in the Peruvian rainforest.... continue reading
"I'm not going to waste my time listening to little old ladies ramble on or allow myself to get distracted by members of the congregation crying into their tissues. I'm here to preach the gospel". So said a lovely, gospel-hearted minister recently.
I wept. Though clearly not in front of him!
His comments were extreme. And certainly not in line with the view of many ministers I know who see their role as pastor to include both preaching and pastoral care. But he is not alone. Somewhere along the line the two great strands of pastoral ministry - proclaiming the word and helping individuals live out the word in the mess and complexity of their lives - seem to have become slightly parted. That is something worth weeping about.
But what exactly is the link between preaching and pastoral care? While they are clearly different in terms of method of delivery, do they really need to be at odds with one another?... continue reading
"So, Helen, what are your plans for retirement?"
The question stung. Partly because I don't like to admit that I am now half way through my working life. It's sobering to realise that I am (just) closer to retirement age than the moment I graduated and got my first "proper" job providing therapeutic support to adults with severe brain injuries. But partly because as soon as the honest answer to that question entered my mind, I knew it wasn't particularly godly!... continue reading
